A MERSEYSIDE Matrix police officer at the centre of two major internal investigations was sacked by the force.

Sgt Charlie Tennant, 43, faced a disciplinary panel of senior officers on Friday and was dismissed for gross misconduct.

Tennant, who had 23 years police service, was the sergeant supposed to be overseeing the search team which brought shame on the anti-gang unit with mobile phone pictures exclusively revealed by the ECHO last week.

The pictures, which led to the suspension of five officers, showed the search team larking around in a suspect’s home they were supposed to be scouring for clues to a serious crime.

That picture only came to light when Tennant was suspended from duty and interviewed under caution for his role in another scandal to hit Matrix.

He and two other more junior officers were arrested on suspicion of theft in March after items allegedly taken from raided homes ended up on internet auction site eBay.

The arrests followed an internal proactive investigation by the force’s Professional Standards Unit over several months which is alleged to have led detectives to a profile on eBay linked to Tennant.

After the three officers were arrested at their homes their computers and mobile phones were scrutinised by experts.

It was during that process the pictures from the house search were found.

That led to the suspension of three other officers formerly under Tennant’s command and two more senior officers for allegedly failing to control their staff.

The ECHO understands Tennant was suddenly moved out of Matrix to another department as the PSU investigation gathered pace and neared the point where the suspects were arrested.

Tennant and the two others are currently on bail.

The five officers under investigation over the phone pictures are merely suspended from duty and not under any criminal suspicion.

None of them have been charged with any illegal act at this time.

A Merseyside police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that a misconduct hearing took place on Friday, May 6.

“Following this hearing Sergeant Charles Tennant, 43, from the Matrix Disruption unit, was dismissed from the force with immediate effect for gross misconduct. Sergeant Tennant was subject to a fast track disciplinary process.

“Merseyside Police is absolutely committed to the highest integrity and professional standards of its officers at all times. As investigations are ongoing into misconduct allegations against other officers it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this time.”